Where to get doughnuts, cinnamon rolls and bagels in Santiago

Okay, so you came to Chile to learn a new language, live in a different culture and open yourself to new experiences. . . but sometimes you just crave the food you took for granted back home.

Here at ThisisChile.cl we gave you the heads up on big breakfasts and told you where to get the best gelati – now it’s time to talk about doughnuts, cinnamon buns and bagels, and whereabouts you can lay your hands on them.

Bagels

Until recently Santiago was a bagel free zone. Then came Montreal Bagel, a small business in Ñuñoa run by Mark and María, a Spanish and Russian couple from Canada who make bagels on site everyday.

Committed to spreading the word about these holey pastries, the couple make nothing else but bagels, although they do sell cream cheese and Sorbete Letelier, a cherry-flavored soda that people in Montreal drink with their bagels.

On site you can get plain, poppy seed, sesame, wholemeal and onion bagels for US$0.90 (CLP450) while cranberry and cinnamon & raisin bagels will set you back a whole US$1 (CLP500).

Gone are the days when Santiaguinos could not take their coffee with a bagel – Montreal Bagel now provides a growing list of cafes in the capital, like Café Wonderful (Lastarria 90), Caffé Musetti (87 Santa Magdalena) and Serendipity (2810 Providencia).

The bakery is open Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 8:30 pm, though it closes from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm for lunch. They’re also open from 9:30am to 3:30pm on Saturdays, and do home delivery for orders of more than 24 bagels.

The address is Diagonal Oriente 1915, near Metro Pedro de Valdivia. For more information see the website (in Spanish).

Cinnamon rolls

There are few things better on a cold morning than a coffee and cinnamon roll – the gooier the better. Fortunately you can get fresh cinnamon rolls in Santiago, and yes, they are gooey.

Canadian bakery CinnZeo arrived in Chile in 2006, and currently has three stores throughout the capital. Sticking to a good thing, CinnZeo’s main focus is cinnamon rolls, though it has experimented with the Canadian classic and now offers cinnamon rolls topped with berry sauce, chocolate, baked apple, nuts and ice cream, as well as the standard item.

There are two stores in Estación Central and one in Metro Escuela Militar.

Doughnuts

Dunkin’ Donuts has been operating in Santiago for a few years now, and if you know anything about doughnuts you’ve probably already made up your mind about this chain.

For a more low key affair, try the Masitas Ruhue bakery at 220 Rio de Janeiro in Patronato.

Everything is made on-site in this tiny little bakery, and baker Daniela will describe to you how she lovingly makes her doughnuts by hand.

The doughnuts have a cakey, moist texture and sell for only US$0.40 (CLP200).